The Muthoot Group has launched its latest marketing campaign featuring actor Amitabh Bachchan, advocating its leisure and hospitality properties, Xandari Resorts & Spa.
Said George M George, Managing Director, Xandari Resorts & Spa said: “We are excited to feature Mr Amitabh Bachchan in The Muthoot Group’s new film because it brilliantly showcases our Xandari Resorts and captivates our audience with sustainable and luxury hospitality. Consumers today seek out holiday experiences that transcend the ordinary and we are dedicated to provide each of our guests with experiences and memories that last a lifetime. At Xandari, we also want to pioneer a sustainable chapter in tourism, by upholding our core principles – community, conservation and collaboration. The idea was to capture the essence of responsible tourism with Xandari’s unparalleled fusion of luxury and a unique farm to table experience. I also feel that Mr. Bachchan’s presence has elevated the Xandari brand to a whole new level and I am sure this content will get us tremendous interest worldover. At Xandari Resorts & Spa, we invite travelers to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature while indulging in world-class hospitality.”
Added Abhinav Iyer, Senior General Manager – Marketing at The Muthoot Group: “Mr Bachchan has been The Muthoot Group’s brand ambassador for many years now and with a legend like him, we have been keen to create tailor-made content for our leisure & hospitality division for quite some time now. Xandari Resorts is a jewel in the Group’s crown and hence with this film, we have attempted to create a strong desire for Xandari Resorts leveraging a cinematic approach. We plan to promote this film widely across digital and other mainstream mediums in addition to national & international events, exhibitions and travel & tourism meets.”
APL Apollo Steel Tubes has launched a new TVC campaign titled ‘Desh Ki Badhti Taqat’, featuring actor Amitabh Bachchan. The TVC, conceived by Crayons, highlights the forward-thinking trajectory of the company, focusing on solidifying its reliable and trustworthy connection with the customer base.
Speaking on this commercial launch, Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director of APL Apollo, said: “Our ‘Desh Ki Badhti Taqat’ TVC reflects the company’s journey on becoming the World’s largest structural steel tubes company along with deep-rooted responsibility towards nation building. We are proud to have Amitabh Bachchan as part of our journey, symbolising the strength and trust of our brand. Our vision extends far beyond being a homegrown success; it’s about sculpting a transformative narrative, where our innovation moulds a stronger, more resilient future.”
APL Apollo, structural steel tubes and pipes company, has appointed actor Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador. It aims to further strengthen and expand its brand identity across the country with this signing.
Said Sanjay Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, APL Apollo Tubes Ltd: “We are incredibly proud to welcome Mr. Bachchan as he embodies all the qualities that APL Apollo stands for–excellence, versatility, and timeless quality. We are consistently channelling our efforts to deliver world-class quality, much like Big B and we are confident that this partnership will serve to reinforce our strong presence in the Indian market.”
Added Charu Malhotra, Chief Brand Officer, APL Apollo Tubes Ltd: “Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic face is a forever appeal that strikes a chord with millions of hearts, not just in India, but worldwide. His enduring appeal will go a long way in elevating our brand image everywhere. This strategic move by APL Apollo will pave the way for not just elevated brand recognition but also an enhanced brand experience. By bringing diverse audiences through this ploy, the brand will witness wider connections.”
PhonePe has launched celebrity voice feature on its SmartSpeakers in collaboration with actor Amitabh Bachchan as part of its Golden Voice Project. Instead of the automated payment confirmation message while shopping, shoppers and merchants will now hear the voice of Mr Bachchan. This has been executed by 82.5 Communications.
Commenting on the 82.5 x PhonePe collaboration for the Golden Voice project, Ramesh Srinivasan, Director, Brand Marketing, PhonePe said: “The intent was to change the way merchants get their payment alerts, reminders and other notifications. We are glad to have 82.5 Communications partner with us on this. They were able to lend their ingenious touch to the existing prompts and turn it into something magical, in a manner that every merchant and customer shall now feel and hear Mr. Bachchan’s presence in every part of the country.”
Added Mayur Varma, CCO, 82.5 Communications: “PhonePe SmartSpeakers speaking in electronic voices were going to get a massive voice upgrade. Big B was bringing in his baritone, and we got the opportunity to set the tone of voice that was uniquely PhonePe. Henceforth, there will be a clear distinction between PhonePe SmartSpeakers and the ‘rest of them’.”
Pune-based Gera Developments has signed on actor Amitabh Bachchan as Brand Ambassador.
Said Rohit Gera, Managing Director of Gera Developments: “We are delighted to have legendary actor Mr Amitabh Bachchan as the face of Gera Developments. Mr Bachchan is the ultimate Outdoer and he embodies the Gera brand mantra to Outdo. With a long and exemplary career, he has reinvented himself year after year and continues to be one of the most respected film personalities. This was important for us at Gera as stability and trust are our key brand attributes. We saw an immediate resonance with brand Gera especially our trendsetting ChildCentric Homes. The resilience of brand Bachchan cuts across not just the general audience but even the elite.”
MediBuddy, a digital healthcare platform, has rolled out a brand campaign with actor Amitabh Bachchan to showcase the convenience of video consultations with specialist doctors in just 10 minutes.
Speaking about the campaign, Satish Kannan, Co-founder & CEO of MediBuddy, said: “It’s been our vision to make high-quality healthcare accessible to a billion Indians. We constantly invest in technology to bridge the urban and rural healthcare divide. Our platform will provide our fellow Indians with the convenience of consulting a doctor on video in 10 minutes, ensuring accessibility to expert doctors and healthcare services. This will help them make informed decisions, leading to a healthier community. We are confident that the desired message to raise awareness about the convenience and accessibility of online video doctor consultations will create a shift in existing mindset amongst people at large and enable them to make healthier choices.”
Added Saibal Biswas, Head of Marketing, Partnerships & PR at MediBuddy: “The new brand campaign is based on the fact that people usually make arbitrary decisions or procrastinate in seeking expert medical attention. It aims to create a top-of-mind recall for choosing online video doctor consultation actively challenging the accepted status quo. It emphasizes that accessing expert medical consultation can be as convenient as everyday online activities like banking, shopping, and food delivery. Mr Bachchan’s portrayal in the ad films echoes MediBuddy’s positioning as an expert caregiver who is always there to assist users during their healthcare journey. In the ads, Mr. Bachchan pops out of the mobile phone magically in a never seen before avatar, as a buddy and a living personification of the MediBuddy app.”
GSK biopharma company has announced a partnership with Amitabh Bachchan to raise awareness about shingles, a painful condition that affects 1 out of 3 adults above the age of 50 years.
The film has been conceptualised and executed by Lowe Lintas. The creative focus is on capturing the intensity of the shingles pain through powerful metaphors and images. The representation of pain is based on scientifically documented patient testimonies.
The campaign film evocatively captures the agonising pain caused by shingles and its debilitating impact on the people living with it. It gives an important message that it is possible to protect ageing adults against this pain through vaccination.
Dr Rashmi Hegde, Medical Director, GSK, said:“Amitabh Bachchan has been the face of several disease and vaccination awareness campaigns before, and his support has motivated people to take the required action to prevent these diseases. Today, India’s ageing population is rising, and we need to make them aware of diseases such as shingles which can impact their quality of life. We believe this will persuade more people to talk to their doctors about protecting themselves or their loved ones from shingles.”
Commenting on the creative insight for the film, Sagar Kapoor, Chief Creative Officer (Global Brands), Lowe Lintas added: “Our challenge was to find a way to ‘show’ the unbearable pain of shingles, a sensation that can only be ‘felt’. That is why we have made use of imagery such as sharp nails piercing the body or a person getting electric shocks. We do not want to scare people, but we want to make them aware that Shingles can be extremely painful, and it can be prevented.”
For years, surrogate advertising has been the bane of the Indian communication industry. First it was cigarettes and alcohol and now for the last few years it’s been pan masala.
More than a year ago, Amitabh Bachchan had raised the hackles of many when the septuagenarian appeared in an ad for Kamla Pasand along with Ranveer Singh. The actor, who once was the darling of the masses, took quite a beating on social media when he first defended his action saying that the ad was part of the entertainment business which provides employment to many people.
When he was mercilessly trolled on social media and when a national anti-tobacco agency requested him to refrain from endorsing tobacco products, the actor put on a big act.
He grandly announced that he is terminating his contract with the company, returning their money and also said that he did not know that the silver coated elaichi, which was the product shown in the ad, was part of surrogate advertising. Ha!
Read that again. He said that he did not know that he was part of a surrogate ad. Mr. Bachchan wanted us to believe that his lawyers and his advisors were so unaware that they had no idea of this malaise called surrogate advertising. His naivety was an act for the ages.
The campaign had broken out in September 2021 and in October, on his birthday, Mr Bachchan had made the grand announcement.
But the ads continued. When another round of protests hit social media, Mr. Bachchan’s office released a statement in mid-November saying that they have sent a legal notice to Kamala Pasand, to stop broadcasting the TV commercials with Mr Bachchan immediately, as it was noticed that despite termination of the endorsement agreement ‘ Kamala Pasand ‘ has ignored the same and is seen to continue airing the TV commercials.
The result: Nothing. Zilch. Nada. No change. Social media got tired, bored, disillusioned of this tamasha and moved on. And the ad continued to be aired. Another version of it was also released. Right through 2022, all major cricket events unleashed the campaign. It went on even in 2023. Till almost the half-way stage of IPL.
After more than one-and-a-half year of endorsing a surrogate tobacco product, a time when other pan masala brands, no doubt emboldened by the free run that Kamla Pasand had, and featured celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgan, Salman Khan; Mr. Bachchan, seemed to have finally persuaded the brand to remove its ad. No, that should read as, the ad was withdrawn after maybe it had run the course of its contract.
But the legacy of endorsing a surrogate brand continued. And the culprit this time is another septuagenarian cricketing legend along with a dashing cricketer who has a school in his name.
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce Shri Sunil Gavaskar, ex-cricketing legend, ex-Sheriff of Mumbai, Padma Bhushan recipient, Arjuna Award-winner, ICC cricket Hall of Fame member as the latest entrant to the tobacco surrogate celebrity endorser Hall of Shame.
And he is keeping illustrious company. Shri Virendra Sehwag is a cricketer who changed Test cricket with his fearless approach to the game. And now his fearless approach is to endorse a surrogate for Pan Masala. Not fearing that it will influence many people into believing the veracity of pan masala. A Padma Shri recipient, Wisden Cricketer of the year and ICC Test player of the year, Shri Sehwag has also started Sehwag International School in Haryana on a piece of land gifted by the Haryana government. Undoubtedly, he will be a role model for the schoolchildren to consume pan masala.
It’s really shocking that neither the government, nor the advertising bodies and nor the celebrities themselves have an iota of responsibility to clean up this mess.
Why are the anti-tobacco advertising laws full of loopholes for the manufacturers to exploit? Or, if there are no loopholes, then why no action is being taken against the offending brands.
ASCI is a self-regulatory body of the advertising industry. Its rules and regulations are so warped that it is an impotent body which moves to takes action against advertisers after the deed is done. It waits for complaints and it has no legal leg to impose a punishment. It hopes for advertisers to be good boys/girls and accept the punishment, which incidentally cannot be a fine or a criminal complaint or any legal action. After all, the advertisers themselves fund ASCI. So this is a case of the accused having their own kin sitting on judgment?
Whereas the likes of Messrs Gavaskar and Sehwag are joining in the fun. After all if a Mr Bachchan can earn a few crores, why not them?
For the media companies, this is the easiest way to recover the millions they have put not their bids. At a time when inflation is high, global recession looms, a category like pan masala which always fears a blanket ban, is welcomed with open arms and big deals.
The curse of tobacco be damned.
The curse of a generation being influenced be damned.
The curse of lingering health issue be damned.
The curse of making an unhealthy product seem fashionable be damned.
And of course the legacy of the celebrities will not be damned.
All the above culprits, specially the celebrities deserve a kick on their backside. Because if a celebrity cannot care for the very people who made him a celebrity, if a celebrity will sell his soul for making his bank balance heftier and if a celebrity will doom a generation just because he thinks he can get away with anything then a kick in the backside delivered by millions of his fan in the form of a boycott may just make him see sense.
The boycott has been used as an effective tool in the past for political and religious reasons. For once, if we are ready to use this tool for a healthier society, then it will truly reflect the spirit of what the father of our nation meant when he introduced boycott as a weapon. Not just a tool but a weapon.
Let us boycott the channels which use these cricketers as commentators. Let us boycott the films which all the above film celebrities act in. Let parents boycott the school or whatever institutions or brands these celebrities endorse. Let’s boycott the shows which invite these celebrities.
Because if we do not boycott them today, tomorrow a few more will endorse an unhealthy product. And the cycle will continue.
So, stop waiting for the government or ASCI or anyone else to do anything. Just boycott anything and anyone which is associated with surrogate advertising.
And do not expect me to post a link of the ad. I refuse to use it to make a point too. Boycott the ad on you tube. If a friend forwards it, stop it from being forwarded or boycott him.
Make boycott the buzzword to fight surrogate advertising. To kick a few butts.
Vikas Mehta is a senior marketing strategy consultant and educator based in Dehradun. He writes on MxMIndia every other week, and sometimes more often. His views here are personal.
Ogilvy India launches a campaign for the new season of Coke Studio Bharat. The music platform celebrates the changing landscape of music, independent artists from small towns. Ogilvy brings the essence of ‘Apna Sunao’, to life. Part of which is the content piece voiced by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan.
Says Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India: “Apna Sunao is a celebration of authenticity, of freedom of expression. Today’s youth want to have their own voice, tell their truth. India is filled with these voices, these stories. That is exactly what Coke Studio is bringing to life, stories that are from every corner of the country, that are rooted in truth and Indian at heart. There couldn’t have been anyone better to bring the story of Apna Sunao to life than the most recognizable voice in the country, Amitabh Bachchan.”
Added Kaushik Prasad, Director Marketing, Coca-Cola Trademark (India & South-West Asia): “Coke Studio, a globally acclaimed platform, has always aimed to celebrate authentic regional music. This season, Coke Studio Bharat is bringing forth artists from various corners of the country, whose music is defined by their roots. An incredibly distinct and genius bunch, these artists are giving regional music a bigger impetus and beyond music, telling their unique stories. They have added more meaning to our ethos of ‘Apna Sunao’, the essence of which has been captured beautifully with Amitabh Bachchan’s magical voice.”
Samsonite luggage brand has launched a new campaign ‘Tested like Samsonite’. It seeks to create common ground with individuals that have come face to face with the various adversities of life and is a testament to those who chose to rise back up and face the challenges with confidence and valour.
Centre of Gravity, a strategic consulting partner, conducted extensive research for Samsonite to identify its core consumers and developed an insight into what these consumers truly care about. Following this exercise, the campaign was conceptualized which includes a series of 3 TVCs featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Yuvraj Singh & Mithali Raj, who have powered through several adversities at different points in their respective journeys. The TVCs will be amplified through an integrated campaign spanning digital, outdoor, and social media.
Commenting on the campaign, Jai Krishnan, CEO, Samsonite India said: “Samsonite bags are made with utmost care, to ensure they look the part! They are aesthetically engineered which makes them extremely durable and offer differentiated functionality. Every Samsonite goes through several rigorous stress tests and that is what truly sets us apart. The campaign brings alive this aspect of the brand in a beautiful manner.”
Prateek Bhardwaj, CCO, Lowe Lintas added: “The campaign cements Samsonite’s position as the ultimate benchmark when it comes to quality testing by drawing parallels with the challenges that each one of us, no matter how privileged, goes through in our journey.”
Muthoot Finance has launched its new campaign that reinforces its unique and core strengths.
The campaign is anchored by actor Amitabh Bachchan, who has been the brand ambassador for the past five years. The new campaign ‘Kholiye Khushiyon Ki Tijori!’ includes four TVCs.
Speaking about the campaign, Alexander George Muthoot, Joint Managing Director, The Muthoot Group, said: “Muthoot Finance has always consciously focused on its own core strengths and key differentiators. We have carefully and consciously built and nurtured some great differentiators and always made efforts to add delight to our customer’s experience with us. The 2.5 Lakh+ customers who are satisfactorily served every single day by our network of 5750+ pan-India branches is one such unparalleled differentiation.”
Talking further about the new campaign, Abhinav Iyer, Senior General Manager – Marketing & Strategy, The Muthoot Group said: “Muthoot Finance has always served as a catalyst that has helped its customers move ahead in life. In general, the gold owned by people stays idle and is not monetised, for reasons like it simply does not cross one’s mind or because of old-world beliefs or social taboos. Our new marketing campaign ‘Kholiye Khusiyon Ki Tijori!’ encourages people to consider Muthoot Finance Gold Loans to realise their dreams and unlock happiness. The campaign nudges loan seekers to unlock their gold lying idle in safes & lockers and in turn let it bring happiness for them by helping them fulfill their personal, family or business needs. In this campaign too we have advocated utilization of this idle lying gold to enable people to do things that can help them move ahead in their lives, giving themselves and their families more happiness and joy. These films have been carefully crafted in an emotive way drawing parallels to real-life emotions that makes them very pleasant for people to relate, despite presenting a core product benefit of Muthoot Finance Gold Loans.”
Hansa Research, a consumer insights and market research company, has tabled a report with Trends that Ruled 2022 in various sectors. The multinational company headquartered in India with presence also in USA, Singapore, Germany, New Zealand and Bangladesh, tracks down the top trends of 2022 in the entertainment, banking & insurance, shopping & travel sectors.
Entertainment Trends
As per the Brand Endorser Report 2022 of Hansa Research, Amitabh Bachchan was the most recognised celebrity in India. He surpassed many popular young actors in terms of recognition. In the sports sector, Sachin Tendulkar emerged as the number one celebrity. In 2022, these veterans were preferred by brands for endorsements as they are perceived as trustworthy, relatable and likeable.
In the category of south Indian celebrities, Allu Arjun and Samantha Prabhu were the most recognised owing to the rise in viewership of OTT platforms. YouTube viewership also increased, making Bhuvan Bam the most recognised influencer. They set an example of how good content and performance are enough to create an impact.
Along with big names, big screens also made a comeback in 2022, with more people preferring to watch cricket on a bigger screen. People chose Smart TV to enjoy cricket on Hotstar. TV viewers also favoured HD viewership to enhance their experience.
Banking & Insurance Trends
Trust and customer support dominated the trends in the banking and insurance sector. According to the findings of Digipay Customer Experience Score (CuES) 2022 by Hansa Research, customers focused on security, privacy and support from banking digital payments apps instead of settling for non-banking digital payments apps. GenZ and Millenials emerged as frequent but not loyal users of digital payment apps.
Based on the Insurance Customer Experience Score (CuES) 2022 by Hansa Research, HDFC life and ICICI prudential life became popular choices among customers. People have favoured brands that provide a better purchase, dealing, and advisory experience.
Shopping Trends
Online shopping remained highly popular during the festive season, even when physical stores also offered sales and discounts, as per the Customer Sales Survey Report 2022 by Hansa Research. Mobile phones topped the list of the most purchased products followed by shoes and electronic accessories. Interestingly, people favoured buying books online and offline equally.
Customer experience became key to enhancing the shopping experience. Many brands considered customer feedback to improve their products and services.
Travel Trends
According to a survey by Hansa Research on behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line, Cruise holidays emerged as the top family travel trend, with 8 out of 10 families planning a cruise vacation abroad in the next year. 79% of people want to make up for the time lost during the pandemic and go on a vacation with family in times to come. 89% believe that spending quality time with family is essential for holistic well-being.
69% of travellers focus on value and intrinsic pricing while 61% consider easy access to attractions and activities while travelling.
It’s time to kick a few butts.